Audio Video News

Are you hankering to get into high-definition disc consumption at a bargain price? Toshiba has just made its HD DVD players even more attractive with big price cuts--though as a statement on the format's future, the move is ambiguous at best.

In any case, the entry-model HD-A3 has been cut from $299 to $149, the HD-A30 from $399 to $199, and the high-end HD-A35 from $499 to $299. See original product announcement and price-cut announcement.

This latest lurch in the HD DVD saga follows last week's shifting in the tectonic plates of software, with Warner formerly ditching HD DVD in favor of Blu-ray, and other studios denying they had plans to do the same.

So why the cuts in third-generation hardware prices? Is Toshiba jettisoning inventory in anticipation of its own final abandonment of the excellent but ill-starred HD DVD format? Or is this just a minor housecleaning to make way for a fourth generation of product?

If the fourth gen is on its way, Toshiba made no reference to it at last week's CES. But it did unveil an HD DVD Concierge Service--call 888-MY HDDVD.

One thing's for sure: If you want to buy a top-notch, name-brand DVD player that upconverts to 1080p, you can get the HD-A35 and HD-A30 for $299 and $199 respectively--and those are list prices, so shop around. Think of HD DVD as an added bonus.

Amazon is also running a software sale, with HD DVD titles going for about half price. Since I pinched that detail from the Engadget folks, I'll let them have the last word: "This could be the best--or worst--time to pick a side in the HD war."